"All of my brothers and sisters who are also unvaccinated should be able to do the same" - Former NBA champion sends out a strong message against vaccination mandate

Former NBA champion Kyrie Irving has many fans and critics. Much of the criticism directed towards Irving results from his anti-COVID-19 vaccination stance. Just last season, Irving played only 29 regular season games because he refused to get vaccinated. His absentee status was a big reason the Brooklyn Nets lost their 2022 first-round NBA playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

Irving refuses to change his anti-vaccination stance. Today he tweeted that he remains proud of his unvaccinated status:

"If I can work and be unvaccinated, then all of my brothers and sisters who are also unvaccinated should be able to do the same, without being discriminated against, vilified, or fired."

The 2016 NBA champion added:

"This enforced Vaccine/Pandemic is one the biggest violations of HUMAN RIGHTS in history."

Irving missed bulk of 2021-22 NBA season because of his unvaccinated status

Before the 2021-22 NBA season, the Nets stated that Irving would have to stay away from the team unless he could be a “full participant.” Irving argued that the choice to remain unvaccinated affected people's livelihoods. Irving said:

“Nobody should be forced to do anything with their bodies. … If you choose to get vaccinated, I support you. If you choose to be unvaccinated, I support you. Do what is best for you, but that doesn’t mean going around and start judging people, what they are doing with their lives.

"I’m going to continue to serve others. I’m going to continue to be me. I’m going to continue to be there for people that need the resources, that need the information or need access to different things.”

Irving also stated that his vaccination stance was not about money. According to the superstar, it was about choosing what was best for him:

“Do you think I really want to lose money? You think I really want to give up on my dream to go after a championship? You think I just really want to give up my job? You think I really just want to sit at home and not go after the things with my teammates.”

Even after he was allowed to participate in away NBA games for the Nets in January 2022, Irving held firm in his beliefs.

"I don't want to make it simply about me and simply about someone lessening the rules for me," Irving said. "I know what the consequences were, I still know what they are.

"But right now I'm just going to take it one day at a time and enjoy this time that I get to play with my guys. However it looks later in the season, we'll address it then."